tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321041652024-03-18T23:46:53.363-05:00The Needle's Bewitching Eye~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-53937373654526057812009-01-22T22:20:00.006-06:002009-01-22T23:36:01.372-06:00More Empty SpacesGive <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/01/empty-spaces.html">Clue</a> snuggles from me, peach ... and don't forget to visit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBSGgS66slImlKvRuVm3R_NjUVwTgTjrhQCjhddOJ5v5qnDdefE6Zd6Aw-Ycm6WQpJT4jTo21ZIXa5vanMFvUYN9z3C6MK6W-shyphenhyphenKu353glXrhBNVMN1idAsoZcwpHrbZNqLl1g/s1600-h/perfect+chess.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBSGgS66slImlKvRuVm3R_NjUVwTgTjrhQCjhddOJ5v5qnDdefE6Zd6Aw-Ycm6WQpJT4jTo21ZIXa5vanMFvUYN9z3C6MK6W-shyphenhyphenKu353glXrhBNVMN1idAsoZcwpHrbZNqLl1g/s400/perfect+chess.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294341129317260162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Chess<br />March 1995 - January 14, 2009<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/cat" rel="tag">cat</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitten" rel="tag">kitten</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/grief" rel="tag">grief</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/love" rel="tag">love</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-21382581810439336932007-10-30T19:58:00.009-05:002009-05-04T04:52:20.953-05:00Muttering, Mumbling, and Probably MeanderingHere is <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_247/">week 247</a>:<br /><br /><ol><li>Inaugural :: Ball </li><br /><li>Pledge :: Vow<br /></li><br /><li>String :: Can I stitch with it? </li><br /><li>Trot :: Gallop </li><br /><li>Fitness :: Out of ... </li><br /><li>Cinder :: Block like the one which fell on my toe -- how can something nearly hollow be that heavy? </li><br /><li>Edge :: <a href="http://u2.com/">U2</a> </li><br /><li>31 :: a prime number, 32 </li><br /><li>Blue :: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smurf">smurfs</a><br /></li><br /><li>Leather :: <a href="http://toriamos.com/">Tori Amos</a> </li><br /><br /></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a></div><ol><br /></ol><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In other news ... I brought DH home from the hospital a week ago yesterday, and he returned to work the following Tuesday. He was actually an in-patient for a full week! That never happens anymore, what with insurance companies kicking people out ten minutes after open heart surgery, so you <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> this was -- and unfortunately still is -- a serious situation. We still have no real answers regarding why the original clot formed in his leg (except it's not due to lymphoma), and we're just lucky that when it broke into multiple clots and went to his lungs, they didn't kill him.<br /><br />Right now, I'm most concerned that his anticoagulation numbers aren't where the doctors want them to be. I don't know what all of this means exactly, but here's what our doctor has told us: DH is at 1.2 (and has been consistently at 1.2 for at least a week now), but they want him above 2 and well below 7. At 7 or higher, he would have to return to in-patient status immediately, as he could bleed to death internally. However, until he's above 2, the blood clots are still a risk -- which makes me ask what I think is the rather obvious: Why did they release him in the first place? He was released with a prescription for <a href="http://lovenox.com/">Lovenox</a> -- which I have to administer to him by injection (technically, he could administer this, but it STINGS for 15 minutes after it's injected, requires two injections in order to get his full dose, and the stinging starts within about 30 seconds after injection ... so it works better if I do it, primarily because he's still very afraid of needles). He's on a huge dose of this medication twice per day -- and has been for nearly two full weeks now, and yet, his numbers just aren't moving. At the same time, he's also been taking <a href="http://coumadin.com/">Coumadin</a> by mouth -- since day one in the hospital and in increasing doses ... I'm pretty sure the reason things aren't happening any faster is because DH is 6'6" and just under 300 pounds, but at the same time, they don't want to make any drastic or sudden changes in his medication regimen because they don't want to get anywhere near that dangerous number 7.<br /><br />But it certainly is FRUSTRATING for both of us. Those Lovenox shots hurt so bad he's in tears just <span style="font-style: italic;">thinking</span> about getting the shot, and I'm only able to hold back because I need to see straight in order to stick him. It breaks my heart that to help him -- allegedly, at least at this point, because I'm certainly not convinced -- I have to cause him so much obvious physical pain. And oh my God, the bruises! Pretty much his entire front waistline for about four inches in width is this horrible purply blue bruise -- the color a bruise is when it's freshest, at its most painful, and from the most serious type of injury (like a car accident). This bruising is from his <span style="font-style: italic;">belt </span><span>(no, I'm not kidding)</span>, so tomorrow he's picking up some suspenders. On the other hand, the bruising does indicate that his blood is getting thinner than normal -- and that is what we want.<br /><br />As far as the diabetes, he was sent home with no insulin in any form to manage it. WTF??? I'm not sure how much my DH isn't telling me, or isn't telling me accurately. It certainly sounds crazy to release a diabetic without prescribing him any insulin after a week-long stay in the hospital during which he was on a diabetic diet and ON INSULIN ... but, <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/search/label/Champaign-Urbana%27s%20incompetent%20doctors">as I've mentioned several times before, the medical community in this area of the country appears to be made up primarily of those who barely didn't flunk out of medical school</a> (scroll past this post, please; it will come up first in the list).<br /><br />I couldn't be at the hospital all the time, and unfortunately, I mostly managed to miss all the doctors myself, so right now I'm stuck relying on DH's word for things. I will feel more comfortable after going with him to an appointment or two with several of the doctors who were involved in his care ... but the fact is he absolutely WAS released from the hospital without insulin or a prescription for insulin.<br /><br />So anyway, according to DH, our primary care doctor still thinks the diabetes is just stress related. The problem with that method of defense is that it would be extremely difficult to describe the <span style="font-style: italic;">entirety</span> of the time I've <span style="font-style: italic;">known</span> DH as anything other than not just stressful, but stress-FILLED. Treating him under the assumption he will stop being diabetic once he stops being stressed out is, thus, most likely an exercise in futility. Additionally, the endocrinologist did a special test able to somehow look back three months in time ~~~woohoo time travel ~~~ and Todd's numbers indicated he was diabetic then, too. There's no question he was also stressed then ... which is basically my point.<br /><br />DH's initial plan upon returning home was to eat as few carbohydrates as possible -- none if he could manage to avoid them altogether. I just don't think this approach is very healthy ... and to be very blunt, DH was much more tolerable a person to be around when he was on insulin in the hospital.<br /><br />He was given a small supply of insulin (after <span style="font-style: italic;">we</span> insisted on it), but no prescription for it, by our doctor during his first appointment after returning home, and although it appears he doesn't need very much of it, he does benefit from small but regular doses. His ability to control his anger (or have none at all to begin with!) increases <span style="font-style: italic;">dramatically</span> with the addition of insulin to his diet.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I managed to make myself briefly sick, too. Wanting to show encouragement to DH by taking a few shots of my own, I decided it was time for the pneumonia vaccine as well as this year's flu vaccine. Because of my fibromyalgia-compromised immune system, I was very nervous about the pneumonia vaccine, which is allegedly good for life, but it went fine, and I have not experienced any symptoms from it. On the other hand, I started experiencing flu symptoms right on schedule for me -- late the next day, or so -- but didn't recognize them for what they were until all heck broke loose (oh ... sorry ... TMI) three mornings later. I'm feeling better now, although my stomach is still a little iffy. This is the first flu vaccine in about five years which I recommend you be sure to get -- ASAP in fact, as I hear it is already making the rounds -- because you DEFINITELY don't want the full blown version of THIS!<br /><br />Other than that, I'm just hoping we manage to make it financially through the next two weeks. I had everything planned fairly well to fit our extremely tight budget before DH had to go into the hospital ... The biggest wrench is the Lovenox -- which is <span style="font-style: italic;">expensive</span>.<br /><br />That combined with the fact that a friend of mine -- well, ex-friend, I guess, since she can't be bothered to return calls, emails, IMs, snail mails, or anything else -- hasn't repaid a loan that would just about cover the Lovenox. It's my fault, though.<br /><br />I knew her to be unreliable about returning things -- she had something of mine for well over six <span style="font-style: italic;">years</span> because she kept misplacing it and then every time she found it, she was too stingy and/or disorganized to bother putting it in the mail to me. (This always really hurt my feelings because she was mailing packages of all kinds of things off to other people all the time -- so it's not like she didn't have the time, the funds, the packing materials, the know-how, etc. to mail me MY package of stuff. Rather, she just didn't have the inclination. She used to say it was to make sure I would visit her again, but I visited several times during the six years she had my stuff ... and those were the times when my stuff always *POOF* disappeared ... nowhere to be found.)<br /><br />Obviously then, I should have known better when visited her for what I now know was the last time that agreeing to buy things for her (under the agreement she would pay me back at the beginning of the following month by PayPal) was a mistake.<br /><br />I was very specific about the PayPal portion of the repayment agreement. I don't take checks; PayPal is more useful, more trustworthy, much faster, etc. (Also, she'd griped to me <span style="font-style: italic;">many</span> times about the bad checks she'd written -- with her complaint being that the bank honored them, then expected her to pay for both the checks <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> the overdraft fees, and what was she -- a woman on a fixed disability income where there's so little spending flexibility -- supposed to do now? I listened to her <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> many times, always trying not to roll my eyes, sometimes suggesting she turn off her overdraft protection with her bank, and thinking to myself that she should stop writing bad checks -- or stop spending the money she'd already written the check for on other stuff. Don't get me wrong: I <span style="font-style: italic;">DO</span> understand that sometimes things happen; for instance, occasionally, a person writes a check with every intention of it being a good check, but then a medical emergency comes up. The gods know, this kind of thing has happened to me/us once or twice -- and I've always made good on the checks [if I couldn't hold them up from being cashed in the first place, which I always tried to do first, and which was successful about 50% of the time -- saving me the cost of the overdraft fees, and actually earning me respect in the eyes of the check recipient] -- with a <span style="font-style: italic;">money order</span>, not another check [another check would have been an insult to someone to whom I'd already, even unintentionally, written a bad check]. Problems just came up way too often with <span style="font-style: italic;">her </span>checks, in my opinion. Also in my opinion, she didn't do the right thing about remedying the problems. I've since actually come to the conclusion he's probably suffering from early onset Alzheimers -- which my maternal grandmother suffered from, and so I saw firsthand the challenges this can cause and the damage it can do -- and it's my greatest personal fear as far as my own future. Anyway, in the case of this ex-friend, Alzheimers would explain away not only so much of her "irrational" financial behavior and other difficulties caring for herself, but it would also explain so much of what I can only describe as an increasingly cruel pattern of behavior toward me which eventually devastated our friendship.) Anyway, I had good reason to require a PayPal payment, especially from her. (It would be unfair not to note that she did send me a check -- or I assume it was a check; I didn't open it before returning it to her with a note on the outside reminding her I don't accept checks and to use PayPal.) When I didn't hear anything from her, I sent her a PayPal invoice, which of course, makes things as easy as pie on her. I've since sent her two PayPal reminders also. It's ridiculous! Basically, she's just a thief at this point, and I'm just a schmuck whom she managed to rip off one final time.<br /></div><br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-40811182641595138602007-10-21T03:31:00.000-05:002007-10-30T20:37:44.784-05:00More MutteringThis is <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_246/">week 246</a>:<br /><br /><ol><li>Las Vegas :: Cyndi Toth (Cynthia Ann Toth) PLEASE contact me !!! </li><br /><li>Linus :: Snoopy, Sloopy, Loopy, <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/01/empty-spaces.html">Clue</a> </li><br /><li>Struck :: Moon </li><br /><li>Movie :: Keeping the Faith </li><br /><li>Anxious :: DH </li><br /><li>Bandit :: Raccoon </li><br /><li>Picks :: Sticks </li><br /><li>Lasso :: Loop, Loopy, Clue </li><br /><li>Dinner :: not hungry<br /></li><br /><li>Bargain :: Bin </li><br /></ol><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a></div><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cyndi+Toth" rel="tag">Cyndi Toth</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cynthia+Toth" rel="tag">Cynthia Toth</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Cynthia+Ann+Toth" rel="tag">Cynthia Ann Toth</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-24772548797159055442007-10-14T09:40:00.000-05:002007-10-15T05:34:46.300-05:00This is Nuts!<div style="text-align: justify;">Okay ... I know the stereotype: women are supposed to love shoes. Most women I know have, at some point in their lives, loved shoes, even if they do not now love shoes. At one time, I had a moderate love for shoes myself. However, after having a bunionectomy on one foot, my love for shoes changed more into a like for shoes. Then when I broke my other ankle, I really lost my love for shoes. Even more importantly, now that I've learned just how <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/08/validation.html">damaged my back is</a> and know exactly how much high heels contribute to screwing up the female body's spinal alignment (all to make us women look sexy for men, so cleverly using such a delicious looking tool of torture that we often willingly go ahead and do it to ourselves!), I make my shoe choices much more carefully and with entirely different goals in mind. Today, it's all about comfort for me.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, though. A pretty pair of shoes can still turn my head, even now. Usually I end up thinking of how it will hurt me in some way, but that's beside the point. I do like my comfortable shoes to look nice, and whenever I find a shoe that looks particularly attractive and is also comfortable, I've been known to buy the same shoe in more than one color ... or an extra pair or two in the same pair as backups for when I wear out the first pair. I do that especially because I wear an odd size which is difficult to find in the first place.<br /><br />Anyway, my love for shoes clearly was never anything like that of Carrie Bradshaw of <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0159206/">Sex in the City</a> who, in one episode, counted up all her shoes, did the math, and realized she could have bought a home -- in New York City, no less -- if she hadn't spent all her money on shoes! I never loved shoes THAT much, and I'm pretty sure I've never known anyone who's loved shoes that much. I also never had a love for the type of shoes Carrie loved -- I mean, some of her shoes were really pretty weird! (But then, so were quite a lot of her entire outfits ... ) Most heels hurt after about ten minutes -- or less, so I never got into them at all -- especially heels over a maximum of 2 inches. Teeter tottering around like Carrie Bradshaw looks totally ridiculous, and I had a job where I needed credibility. Actually, to put it bluntly, I prefer not to teeter totter at all.<br /><br />Anyway, lately there's been this big thing for Dr. Scholl's shoes -- just the plain old standard <a href="http://www.shoes.com/stores/drscholls/product.asp?p=5013792%7EDr+Scholl%27s+Collection%7Coriginal%7Csandals&sc=DRSCH%5FSANDALS&variant_id=05313">Dr. Scholl's sandal</a> I remember my mother liking when I was a little girl in the 1970s -- but the big thing about them now is that the wooden base is <span style="font-style: italic;">painted</span>. It's such a big thing now that it even made the Martha Stewart show; she was showing people how to paint their own. Depending on where you are shopping (online offers the most options), you can buy them in all different patterns and colors -- stripes, dots, and so on. Some of them really are pretty cute, although it seems kind of weird to me that people really want a pair of shoes where the part you step on is painted -- so it's not even seen all that well while you're wearing it. But that's one of those things about fads ... they're always a bit silly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bU8PIPiStb1qILdjP_1L-menBkerIdJ_2o6FizSi5cOqlhzjyv4rbO5oVixeWGJRpFTBCPwVymV93JOhr5PiSKlEmu9D0WXtLBnPWLDNSeAvp7GKUtJA1IckNlXoyX36yfX1_Q/s1600-h/shoes_iaec1059528.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bU8PIPiStb1qILdjP_1L-menBkerIdJ_2o6FizSi5cOqlhzjyv4rbO5oVixeWGJRpFTBCPwVymV93JOhr5PiSKlEmu9D0WXtLBnPWLDNSeAvp7GKUtJA1IckNlXoyX36yfX1_Q/s400/shoes_iaec1059528.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121192281360147058" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shoes.com/stores/drscholls/product.asp?p=5048668&variant%5Fid=EC1059528&hix=1">Here's a cute pair</a> you can pick up for the minimal cost of just $129.99. Wait -- $129.99? For a pair of Dr. Scholl's? Over $100? These are <span style="font-style: italic;">EXACTLY</span> the same shoes my mother used to pick up at Walgreens, of all places, and probably for less than $20 way back then. The only difference is that this cute pair has been painted a lovely shade of sky blue, and then has white polkadots painted on top of that. So the paint job is worth $95? Oh, wait, sorry ... the paint was administered by an artist named Marie Hejl. Well, sorry, but if Picasso wanted to paint my shoes before I bought them, I still don't think I'd give him an extra $95 for doing it. (Maybe Dali.) Look, down there in the left hand corner of <a href="http://www.shoes.com/stores/drscholls/product.asp?p=5048668&variant%5Fid=EC1059528&hix=1"><span style="font-style: italic;">THIS PAGE</span></a>, and it says, "May We Suggest" followed by a picture of a regular, unpainted pair of Dr. Scholl's shoes for just $34.99! Yet people are still willing to pay this kind of money for these -- or <a href="http://www.shoes.com/stores/drscholls/product.asp?p=5048668%7EDr+Scholl%27s+Collection%7Coriginal%7Csandals&sc=DRSCH%5FSANDALS&variant_id=EC1059532">these</a>, which I don't think are anywhere near as cute, myself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQMnlOqicvqy8hfznYFrdvtKWcUxsUtkYpUR8Mc9rsHkrtkFBwGCKAl3Wy_eHfN33Ww0w2GMsKIy5qkVczuFiqCN1WhRuucRb5ECBEc13t1mXXARBdoVDR_SuT7ZHszrKl6XC2w/s1600-h/shoes_iaec1059532.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQMnlOqicvqy8hfznYFrdvtKWcUxsUtkYpUR8Mc9rsHkrtkFBwGCKAl3Wy_eHfN33Ww0w2GMsKIy5qkVczuFiqCN1WhRuucRb5ECBEc13t1mXXARBdoVDR_SuT7ZHszrKl6XC2w/s400/shoes_iaec1059532.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5121197980781748866" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now, even if you are NOT artistically inclined, as I definitely am NOT, you can still buy some of the regular Dr. Scholl's, buy some paint (inexpensively), and paint the shoes yourself. A few stencils later, and you can have almost any of these painted shoes for no more than half the price they are selling for.<br /><br />Heck, at that point, you can start taking orders from your friends, and charging $100. You'll make a nice profit and it will still save your friends a hefty chunk of change.<br /><br />Try selling a pair on eBay -- who knows where you can go from there?<br /><br />There's nothing wrong with this idea, either. After all, as I mentioned, Martha Stewart had a segment on her show about this. If Martha can do it, then you can, too! Or at least, I think that's pretty much her motto. Nothing she does is too terribly difficult -- or it's never seemed that way the fairly numerous amount of times I've caught her show. Sure, sometimes it's a bit time consuming to do ... or things LOOK difficult ... but what Martha shows you is that the things that look difficult and expensive and oh-so-chic really are not so much trouble to do yourself if you have just a little bit of time and a little bit of interest.<br /><br />Give it a try ... buy a regular pair of Dr. Scholl's in your size, and go to town!<br /><br />Or just buy a regular pair of Dr. Scholl's if you want a pair, skip the fad, and get back to stitching -- which is what I'm going to do. I always wanted a pair of those shoes because my mother liked them so much ... Now maybe I can find out why she liked them so much -- for $34.99, LOL.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><a href="http://www.shoes.com/stores/drscholls/product.asp?p=5048668&variant%5Fid=EC1059528&hix=1"><br /></a></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Dr.+Scholl%27s" rel="tag">Dr. Scholl's</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Dr.+Scholls" rel="tag">Dr. Scholls</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/painted" rel="tag">painted</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Martha+Stewart" rel="tag">Martha Stewart</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Marie+Hejl" rel="tag">Marie Hejl</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/shoes" rel="tag">shoes</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/feminist" rel="tag">feminist</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/feminism" rel="tag">feminism</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/sexy" rel="tag">sexy</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/high+heels" rel="tag">high heels</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Carrie+Bradshaw" rel="tag">Carrie Bradshaw</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Sex+in+the+City" rel="tag">Sex in the City</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/fad" rel="tag">fad</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stitching" rel="tag">stitching</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/cross+stitch" rel="tag">cross stitch</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-72199938808749049632007-10-14T07:46:00.000-05:002007-11-26T03:45:27.192-06:00Two Weeks for the Post of OneThis is <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_244/">week 244</a>:<br /><ol style="text-align: justify;"><li>Cluster :: What a bunch of women do when they are talking about someone<br /></li><li>Announcement :: News<br /></li><li>Respect :: Lacking<br /></li><li>Incident :: a situation which has as much chance to end up on a police report or as some other part of your permanent record, as it does to become one of those stories you won't tell your kids (or the children of anyone else in your generation for whom you are supposed to be setting a good example) -- at least not until those kids are grown-ups with kids themselves<br /></li><li>Accordion :: an instrument rarely seen played which looks both silly and interesting ... and which you kind of want to try playing but for some reason you aren't entirely sure of, would not actually want anyone to see you trying to play<br /></li><li>Drunk :: Frat boys<br /></li><li>If :: only, which are the first two words of the most common phrase I heard growing up: "If only you'd never been born, ... " Like <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I</span> somehow had any choice or blame in the matter.<br /></li><li>Dexter :: Shoe (I haven't seen the TV show because we don't have that channel ... Should I? Would it make me feel better about myself or my life to see a show about a "nice" serial killer? Can I sic him on certain people?)<br /></li><li>Wedding :: An event which is supposed to be special and about the bride and the groom, but almost always ends up being about everyone else and anything but special. It will be unforgettable, though.<br /></li><li>Gambling :: I probably could have said Gambling after Wedding instead of what I did, but without saying what I did, you wouldn't have understood why I could have said Gambling. :)</li></ol><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Here, in a more timely fashion (It's difficult to keep on track when you have an improperly sealed lumbar puncture causing all kinds of wacky symptoms for you ... then add your MIL having an angioplasty followed by open heart surgery to confuse the days even more, especially when you're not done grieving over your <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_244/">FIL's untimely death</a>, and it's amazing anything at all happens anywhere near on time anymore!), is <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_245/">Week 245</a>:<br /></div><br /><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Illicit :: Insurance (I guess because of the way they tend to do anything they can to <span style="font-style: italic;">NOT</span> pay out when any reasonable person would agree that they should.)</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Go :: Green<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Jacket :: Spring<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Blow :: Wind<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Coach :: Baseball<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Effort :: Work, Try, Attempt<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Leadership :: Something sorely missing from the current US Republican administration (And please remember, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/17112098438748527228">Zooomabooma</a>, that this is MY free association, <span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/gl.link.gif" alt="Link" border="0" /></span></span>not yours. Obviously, since we have different political opinions about this current administration, if our free associations lead us to think of this political administration, entirely different words will lead us there, or the same word will lead us to say entirely different things. Since this is free association, by definition, it's pretty useless to argue about it.) </li><li style="text-align: justify;">Snore :: DH !!!!!<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Fearless :: Strawberries (it's because of the movie, <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0106881/">Fearless</a>, which is one of my favorites)<br /></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Network :: Why, the <a href="http://independentfibernetwork.com"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Independent Fiber Network</span></a>, of course! </li><br /></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a></div><ol><br /></ol><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-14399206777037021712007-10-02T22:48:00.000-05:002007-10-15T05:48:40.200-05:00An Unexpected Gift<a href="http://mystitchinaddiction.blogspot.com/">Karen Pierce</a>, with whom I have not gotten along, wrote this as a comment to <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/serial-killer-carle-foundation-hospital.html">one of my recent posts</a>:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Very sad. I have such a distrust and dislike for the medical field. We're at their mercy, and more and more it's becoming clear that there are a lot of "medical professionals" who should not be trusted with our care.<br /><br />My sympathies to your family, Heather.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;">Her note is lovely, and although I wanted to write her to say so for days, I just couldn't take her sympathy note with the sincerity it was intended because of the history between us.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />And that was sad -- really sad. Because maybe Karen was truly affected by <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/serial-killer-carle-foundation-hospital.html">what I wrote about how horribly unnecessary, undignified, and inhumane Dad's death was</a>. It was a death which simply should not have happened -- not then, and certainly not that way, that is. Maybe Karen's sympathy note was for real -- an honest expression I could trust. Maybe she was reaching out to me, for the first time, in kindness, which would be a good thing I should encourage. Maybe it was a moment which could have turned our "relationship," (for lack of a better word) around, and yet, I was ... afraid. My thickened skin didn't trust her, or the way she reached out, or what her motives might be.<br /><br />I kept thinking about these things. Was I being fair to Karen? Was I being fair to me? I wasn't sure. I <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> realize her words touched me enough to wish I felt safe putting faith in them.<br /><br />So, I wrote <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-mariah.html">this post</a>, and although she was much the focus, it wasn't just about Karen because there are a lot of other people out there in the online needlework world tossing around cruel words without a second thought whom I hoped to at least encourage to <span style="font-style: italic;">have</span> a second thought the next time they do something like this -- to <span style="font-style: italic;">anyone</span>, not just me.<br /><br />I have now edited that post because earlier yesterday evening, I received a surprising email from Karen in which she stated the comment she wrote in sympathy about my father-in-law was not only sincere, but also intended to put the past where it belongs -- <span style="font-style: italic;">behind us</span> -- and to initiate a truce. And Karen said she still wanted to initiate a truce.<br /><br />I emailed back suggesting we talk by phone, thinking if we could each hear each other's voice, we would be able to hear sincerity from each other much better than through email. I also gave her my phone number.<br /><br />Just minutes later, the phone rang, and Karen and I laughed and occasionally teared up through a wonderful and quite lengthy conversation. We apologized to each other for our past disagreements and mean comments, and we really started <span style="font-style: italic;">talking</span> with each other about who we are as individuals. In doing so, we quickly discovered several fairly unusual things we have in common. We were both prepared to be not only <span style="font-style: italic;">forgiving</span>, but also <span style="font-style: italic;">open-minded</span> because each of us had taken a step <span style="font-style: italic;">on our own</span> in a vulnerable direction -- Karen with her email requesting a truce, and then me by giving her my phone number. Now we have an actual foundation -- and a fairly firm one at that -- for a real friendship.<br /><br />Our past disagreements seem so silly to us, especially when neither of us can remember what it was that first triggered them. Why <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> let those things go? Why <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> be friends? Maybe not bosom buddies, but at least friends who can appreciate each other's stitching and be kind to each other ... I think we both felt a lot better about <span style="font-style: italic;">ourselves</span> after the phone call.<br /><br />There is so much else going on in the world -- things I don't have to remind anyone of, I know, but things which are actually causing loss of life because other people in allegedly more important positions can't be bothered to admit their mistakes, or sit down and talk with each other while treating each other like human beings and with a modicum of respect. I think about those other things going on in the world every day, and I'm quite active politically as far as contacting my Senators, Representatives, etc., to let them know what I think they should do to resolve things. Most of the time, I don't feel like I'm very effective at making anything happen.<br /><br />But when I received Karen's email, and then her phone call in response to my email, and as we talked, I did feel like maybe I could actually cause some real change, at least in what is my little part of the world. I mentioned this to Karen, too, that we could set a different example by being the first -- but hopefully not the last! -- to <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-mariah.html">STOP the meanness</a>, which reminded me of a quote I'd read earlier this week somewhere:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" class="body">A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> ~ Margaret Mead</span><br /></blockquote>Contrary to our usual perceptions, a gift is always unexpected, never obligatory. I think sometimes we forget that in our materialistic world where we feel we "have to" give so-and-so a gift for her birthday or on Christmas. Such is not the case; we always <span style="font-style: italic;">choose</span> to give a gift, and that choice is what makes the gift so special.<br /><br />Friendship is perhaps the greatest gift of all. Thank you, Karen, for offering me the gift of friendship.<br /></div><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/friendship" rel="tag">friendship</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/change" rel="tag">change</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-75579601735424760262007-10-01T11:33:00.001-05:002009-04-06T17:25:31.174-05:00One of My Most Recent Projects<div style="text-align: justify;">It's <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> hard for me to do a happy dance for this piece.<br /><br />It's by Debbie Rowley of <a href="http://debbeesdesigns.com/">DebBee's Designs</a>, and is called <span style="font-style: italic;">Holiday Highlights Father's Day</span>; the copyright date is 2006.<br /><br />I stitched it on <a href="http://zweigart.com/">Zweigart</a> 28 count potato lugana with the charted colors. By the way, if you don't stitch the words "tools," "naps," and "ties," you don't need <a href="http://crescentcolours.com/">Crescent Colours</a> Roasted Chestnut at all for this one.<br /><br />If you stitch this piece on evenweave or linen, I <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">highly</span> recommend making a few of the specialty stitches on the equivalent sized aida first (14 count aida for 28 count linen or evenweave; 16 for 32; 18 for 36) so you know how big to make your stitches on the evenweave or linen. When the whole piece is specialty stitches, as this one is -- and specialty stitches that are new to you and don't involve making any part of a cross stitch, to boot -- it's pretty difficult to determine what is considered over two and what is over one. Or at least, it was for me. I had a heck of a time with that part and could have saved myself hours -- and a <span style="font-style: italic;">lot</span> of frustration -- if I had just picked up a small piece of aida and done a few test stitches. Seriously, it would have taken just minutes to save me a huge amount of time.<br /><br />As it was, I started off stitching it too small at what turned out to be over one -- and I got a lot of the stitching done, but as you can see, the really neat pattern which is supposed to be created by Debbie's design just doesn't really show up very well (and that's what finally made me decide I <span style="font-style: italic;">must</span> be stitching it too small and needed to start over). I think it would have been fine if I'd been using just one thread, but since I thought I was stitching over two, I was using two threads. I haven't decided if the first attempt is going to get frogged or trashed -- these stitches are in there pretty tightly, so ripping them out won't be easy ... but I do hate to throw away a good piece of fabric.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-c4Xobt08GqWuA4mzK3SHVc5cnDEW23crnpAvqgaHhphOe3ogXs3Y0udCNq-9hTPms9gIvpTG-Li-O2DuSYryV0945oOTf1pcUXG7XOcIVkBCTD5V6NLYbLaHkznd2hV4zx6Vg/s1600-h/tie+1st+attempt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-c4Xobt08GqWuA4mzK3SHVc5cnDEW23crnpAvqgaHhphOe3ogXs3Y0udCNq-9hTPms9gIvpTG-Li-O2DuSYryV0945oOTf1pcUXG7XOcIVkBCTD5V6NLYbLaHkznd2hV4zx6Vg/s400/tie+1st+attempt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116398788620165714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">After a second start, I got the count right, though I still had a bit of difficulty with each new section. Grab a piece of aida for this one, I tell you (not to stitch the piece -- unless you want to use aida, of course -- but just to test drive these stitches ... don't be stubborn like me!)! Maybe five or so hours later, I was done.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx86RmiGvM_S0_-Ma99P1vMGJGH7ccBzPYPcv-TYaBjc9H6N6XDLenIRcd3LCtFH3itbhrXS-Uz3JLnkA-AsJMrcwo7uXEtpe_fIKQ-JPhZe_GU9wbDSVlw4Sj2K3Uk0yYMKRnw/s1600-h/finished+tie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBx86RmiGvM_S0_-Ma99P1vMGJGH7ccBzPYPcv-TYaBjc9H6N6XDLenIRcd3LCtFH3itbhrXS-Uz3JLnkA-AsJMrcwo7uXEtpe_fIKQ-JPhZe_GU9wbDSVlw4Sj2K3Uk0yYMKRnw/s400/finished+tie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116399145102451298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This piece is really attractive in person, and I think I will probably end up making more for the other men in my life. I find men are really difficult to find the right patterns to stitch for but this pattern is perfect (especially with the opportunity to change colors) ... but I'm just not ready right now.<br /><br />You see, I made this for my father-in-law, Dad, for his retirement on August 31, 2007. <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/serial-killer-carle-foundation-hospital.html">When he died</a>, I was working on finishing it off into what could be used either as a bookmark or hung up as a small bellpull (those are four-sided stitches all around; I planned to use CA Wells' joining technique to attach a second piece of lugana the same size as the back). Dad did get to see it because I took it to the hospital to show him; I can't remember if that was a day by which I pretty much knew he was going to be leaving this world, but I do remember feeling a <span style="font-style: italic;">need</span> to take this to show him -- it was finished except for what I wanted to do with the back and stuff. Only when my DH and I got to the hospital, my DH's sister, who had been visiting her dad all day, wouldn't come out, so that meant I couldn't go in because the number of visitors Dad could have at one time was limited. So I gave this to my DH to show to his dad. I actually never got to see him alive again.<br /><br />After Dad died, I wasn't sure at first what to do with it. I knew there were several people I could give it to who might like it, including my DH, but that just didn't feel right. I wanted to make DH his own ... not give him the one he knew would have been his father's. Giving this to anyone else just didn't feel right; I made this for Dad, and in the five years of my marriage, it's the only thing I'd ever stitched for him. I wanted him to have it.<br /><br />So at the visitation, I asked my mother-in-law if I could put it in with him, and she took it from me and put it on the pillow next to him. I would have put it somewhere a little less prominent, but I'm glad it's with him. Well, I know it's not really him, but you know what I mean.<br /><br />Still, it's not in a happy dancing place ... even though I know Dad is.<br /><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/DebBee%27s+Designs" rel="tag">DebBee's Designs</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Debbie+Rowley" rel="tag">Debbie Rowley</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Holiday+Highlights" rel="tag">Holiday Highlights</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Father%27s+Day" rel="tag">Father's Day</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-14634025978690251182007-09-29T23:46:00.000-05:002007-11-26T04:11:38.360-06:00Something Different AgainTime for another week of unconscious mutterings (<a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_243/">week 243</a>) ... Now that this is becoming a habit rather than something different, I need to think of a different post title ... Suggestions are welcome.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Crook :: George W.</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Career :: Pressure</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Freckles :: Shoulders</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Scramble :: Eggs</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Mistake :: Opportunity</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Telephone :: Communication</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Thank you :: <a href="http://www.henryfordhealth.org/body.cfm?id=38441&action=detail&ref=680">Dr. Lynne Johannessen</a><br /></li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Obstruction :: <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/serial-killer-carle-foundation-hospital.html">Dad</a></li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">24/7 :: Exhausted</li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">SciFi :: Really LOOOOOOOOONG books written by authors who badly needed editors to restrict them to a certain number of pages, and to instruct them to name their characters something pronounceable</li><br /></ol><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a></div><ol><br /></ol><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-43698145568869129022007-09-23T06:41:00.000-05:002007-10-01T03:51:26.126-05:00More of Something DifferentIt feels like I just did this, which is because <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/09/something-different.html">I just did</a> ... It's fun. This is <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_242/">week 242</a>:<br /><br /><ol><li>Singles :: Kraft </li><br /><li>Blaze :: Orange<br /></li><br /><li>Sandwich :: Yum </li><br /><li>Outside :: Cold </li><br /><li>Gooey :: Ick </li><br /><li>Industry :: Loud </li><br /><li>Exclusive :: Expensive </li><br /><li>Warranty :: the expiration date, after which, everything on some big, expensive item will break </li><br /><li>Magical :: Cats<br /></li><br /><li>Heels :: Foolishness for girls who haven't yet had surgery on their feet/ankles </li><br /></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-23233250780714710832007-09-21T07:40:00.000-05:002007-11-26T04:13:46.454-06:00Something Different<div style="text-align: justify;">I like free association, and I've been reading these on <a href="http://periphaeria.com/">Lady Periphaeria</a>'s blog for a while, so <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/">I decided to play along at Unconscious Mutterings</a>, too. I'm starting with <a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/um/ind/week_241/">week 241</a>:<br /></div><br /><br /><ol><li>Rita :: my aunt's friend </li><br /><li>Comedy :: half hour<br /></li><br /><li>Polar :: winds </li><br /><li>Idiots :: Illinois doctors </li><br /><li>Perception :: depth </li><br /><li>Infected :: hospital </li><br /><li>Fake :: except for my mother-in-law, my female in-laws </li><br /><li>Relating :: difficult, probably not worth it </li><br /><li>Distraction :: television<br /></li><br /><li>Gamble :: noisy</li></ol><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://subliminal.lunanina.com/"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/piranha0307/Blog/mutteringsblack88x33.gif" /></a><br /></div><br /><ol><br /></ol><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/free+association" rel="tag">free association</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Unconscious+Mutterings" rel="tag">Unconscious Mutterings</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/LunaNina" rel="tag">LunaNina</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-64400160291302267762007-09-16T02:48:00.000-05:002007-11-26T04:30:10.803-06:00SERIAL KILLER Carle Foundation Hospital Murders AgainThis time, the victim was my beloved father-in-law, <a href="http://isbndb.com/d/person/orn_michael_k/subject/nuclear_facilities_safety_measures.html">Michael Kent Orn</a>, aged 65. I always called him, "Dad."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiaczgLYbj9ktArNB1zNyik4acEnUXn6NHEjClhLolEKPXzxDoAbtT0yF7XkizHVAQ-VWkI7fLY6zbqBCxILBU0YZYkvAM3_iZiXuHtMaFEIa-pkkWE1MAZTTo2_gF6SWtJ4LhA/s1600-h/0916_obit_orn_web_20070917.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiaczgLYbj9ktArNB1zNyik4acEnUXn6NHEjClhLolEKPXzxDoAbtT0yF7XkizHVAQ-VWkI7fLY6zbqBCxILBU0YZYkvAM3_iZiXuHtMaFEIa-pkkWE1MAZTTo2_gF6SWtJ4LhA/s400/0916_obit_orn_web_20070917.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137094207061548450" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br />His death was caused by <span style="font-weight: bold;">MEDICAL MALPRACTICE</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">of </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://carle.com/Hospital/">Carle Foundation Hospital</a> doctors, who, on September 11, 2007, ordered he drink the complete, usual adult dose of a Fleet's Soda preparation mixed with orange gatorade as preparation for a colonoscopy scheduled for the next morning. This would be the last of any kind of food, drink, or nutrition he would receive, other than that delivered intravenously.<br /><br />Dad <span style="font-weight: bold;">DID NOT NEED</span> this typical colonoscopy preparation because he had been a very atypical patient. After being admitted to the hospital through the ER on September 2nd, 2007, he had been on strictly a liquid diet for more than a week while doctors waited for a bowel obstruction to clear. Therefore, there was nothing IN his intestines to flush out with the Fleet's Soda prep -- EXCEPT, very unfortunately, at least part of the original bowel obstruction, which immediately recurred once Dad drank enough of the prep solution.<br /><br />But Carle Hospital's asshole, I mean, "expert" doctors cannot possibly deviate from any of their prescribed procedures because it would require them to actually THINK.<br /><br />Dad and I BEGGED the nurses multiple times to check with the doctor, and then to get a doctor in there to actually PHYSICALLY EXAMINE him because he was obviously becoming increasingly uncomfortable and concerned as he drank more of the preparation. Dad's abdomen was distended and rock hard after he'd drunk less than half the Fleet's Soda prep solution. Over the space of two hours, his bowels did not make a SOUND and he did not require use of the bathroom at all; he should have been going fairly constantly starting no more than about fifteen or twenty minutes after he first started drinking the disgusting concoction.<br /><br />Although the nurses did contact the doctor perhaps three times, no doctor came to actually SEE Dad, much less EXAMINE him; the nurses did not physically touch Dad's abdomen to verify how hard and distended it actually was; and the order from the doctor remained the same: Dad was to drink the entire solution.<br /><br />Suddenly, having not yet drunk quite half of the Fleet's solution, Dad went into respiratory distress because his obstructed intestines in his hard, distended abdomen were pressing into his diaphragm and lung, which prevented him from taking deep enough breaths to fully and properly oxygenate his blood.<br /><br />Dad only had his left lung, by the way. His right lung was removed in January of this year, when he was pronounced cured of lung cancer by his doctors. The fact that he had only one lung is why the doctors did not consider surgery to find and remove the bowel obstruction; such a surgery would have taken as much as twelve hours, and this would have required him to be on a respirator. In Dad's weakened state, the doctors believed that once he was put onto a respirator, he would never be able to get off of it, and so the possibility of surgery for the bowel obstruction was eliminated.<br /><br />The experiences of respiratory distress and having his stomach pumped only made Dad even weaker. Although he tried, they were simply too much from which to recover.<br /><br />The saddest part of the whole situation is that <a href="http://www.legacy.com/news-gazette/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=94600497">Dad just retired</a> on Friday, August 31st, 2007, and of course, like anyone does, he had been dearly looking forward to spending his retirement with his family and doing the things he enjoyed. Instead, he was admitted to the hospital within two days of his retirement, and died fifteen days later on September 15, 2007 at approximately 4:30 p.m. central time.<br /><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Carle" rel="tag">Carle</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/medical+malpractice" rel="tag">medical malpractice</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michael+Orn" rel="tag">Michael Orn</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Mike+Orn" rel="tag">Mike Orn</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michael+Kent+Orn" rel="tag">Michael Kent Orn</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Michael+K+Orn" rel="tag">Michael K Orn</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/routine+medical+care" rel="tag">routine medical care</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/colonoscopy" rel="tag">colonoscopy</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Fleet%27s+Soda" rel="tag">Fleet's Soda</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/retirement" rel="tag">retirement</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/health+care" rel="tag">health care</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-31980523501278933772007-08-25T06:48:00.001-05:002008-09-20T19:17:26.039-05:00Validation!<div style="text-align: justify;">Thursday, August 23rd, I had my appointment with the neurologist about the MRIs I had last Saturday (the 18th) and received some rather shocking medical news. Not what I was hoping for, and not anything I had prepared myself for, although I thought I had pretty much covered all the possibilities in my mind -- and although this information should prove very useful in obtaining MEDICALLY NECESSARY pain treatment.<br /><br />Basically, nearly every single disc in my back is herniated or nearly so, and because so many are damaged, it's considered inoperable. It's a wonder I can move at all -- and things have been this way for probably close to twenty five years (this has to have been caused by the school bus accident I was in when I was in seventh grade), and only just now has anyone though to bother to run the test to see it -- and he ran it for a different reason (to diagnose or rule out multiple sclerosis).<br /><br />Exercise is pretty much out of the question for any reason except swimming and bike riding -- and we can't afford a bike or a pool membership right now -- because one wrong move could mean paralysis and a wheelchair for life. That's the same instruction DH received from the same neurologist close to a year ago -- because of ONE disc in this precarious situation. The neurologist actually didn't get that far with me because he wants to run more tests; I suppose it's possible he could tell me NO exercise and to get in a wheelchair now so I don't really screw myself up -- LOL -- would I even notice?<br /><br />So, now I know why my back hurts so badly all the time -- and I do NOT feel guilty about it. It's NOT my imagination, it's NOT caused by depression, it's NOT because I'm faking it, or because I'm lazy (as my brother insists on every rare instance he has time in his busy life to have anything to do with me). In fact, I'm LAMINATING these test results to show doctors that I am NOT DEPRESSED but have a REAL, EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT, PHYSICAL INJURY causing INDESCRIBABLE PAIN which it is INHUMANE not to properly manage with appropriate pain medications.<br /><br />But it was a huge shock and really threw me off Thursday and Friday. I didn't even need my usual pain medication (which is not NEARLY enough for this type of injury!) Friday because I was actually having physical symptoms of shock and just felt numb from the news. I certainly could have received far more useless news, and I realize this will be very useful, but it's still an awful lot to digest right now.<br /><br />Meanwhile, we are continuing the MRI investigation looking for signs of MS because the neurologist still thinks it's worth considering -- or at least worth completely ruling out since we've come this far already. The brain and cervical spine will be done with and without contrast next Tuesday morning, right before an appointment with my PCP, after which I will be immediately leaving town for Michigan to see a doctor willing to prescribe REAL pain meds -- and thankfully, I now have something to show her besides my diagnosis of fibromyalgia that shows her just how badly I need them!<br /><br />For those who are wondering, there has still been <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/05/why-i-have-almost-no-faith-in-doctors.html">no MRI of the breast for the still growing "lump</a>," which now feels more like half a slice of bologna. I need to do another major rant on this particular subject, but I swear Illinois must be where everyone who nearly flunked out of medical school comes to practice. However, I'm actually much less concerned about the breast issue at this point. If that's breast cancer, based on my other breast symptoms, it's IBC, the 95% fatal kind WITH treatment. And unfortunately, the treatment for that is always chemo and radiation first before surgery -- and I will not do chemo with odds that low. Cut anything off of or out of me you want to, but I have no interest in wasting the last few months of my life just to die looking like a concentration camp victim and feeling like crap, in order that everyone else can say, "At least, she fought really hard." I've already fought really hard, darn it, while none of the dipstick doctors in this area were listening, and if people don't already realize that, then screw them. The only reason for a diagnosis there would be to give my husband what he needs for a lawsuit -- and if I suddenly die, I guess he'll get that from an autopsy, now won't he?<br /><br />Thanks to all of you for your support.<br /><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/MRI" rel="tag">MRI</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/back+pain" rel="tag">back pain</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/multiple+sclerosis" rel="tag">multiple sclerosis</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/neurologist" rel="tag">neurologist</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/herniated+disc" rel="tag">herniated disc</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Illinois" rel="tag">Illinois</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/medicine" rel="tag">medicine</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/fibromyalgia" rel="tag">fibromyalgia</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/spinal+injury" rel="tag">spinal injury</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-19410543584178101822007-08-19T23:56:00.001-05:002011-11-01T01:51:43.688-05:00I Hope You Dance<div style="text-align: justify;">I took this picture of My Treasures Workstation (pattern by <a href="http://justathought.net/">Just A Thought from Judy Odell</a>) while it was on display during the 2007 National Counted Cross Stitch Show (NCCSS) competition.<br /><br />Interestingly, this piece received both my highest score (from Betsy Evans), as well as my lowest score (from infamous pottymouth Eileen Bennett). The difference between the highest and lowest scores was 14 points, and based on the two judges' comments, their scores were based specifically on the workmanship of my stitches.<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2hRM_vP3wZ-0zxP0h1n4wQf2hWyuZaZ6tUCz3bFEEGOlvKwDqriqsCUBqFvflrAYCqx52QnPZmSHI7lqtlzPq_nEc7N_lJrNSjoZd-grdnpXt0t1yiBjOS0zqtj1A6gugkKkww/s1600-h/workstation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2hRM_vP3wZ-0zxP0h1n4wQf2hWyuZaZ6tUCz3bFEEGOlvKwDqriqsCUBqFvflrAYCqx52QnPZmSHI7lqtlzPq_nEc7N_lJrNSjoZd-grdnpXt0t1yiBjOS0zqtj1A6gugkKkww/s400/workstation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100639813668614018" border="0" /></a><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Just+A+Thought" rel="tag">Just A Thought</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Judy+Odell" rel="tag">Judy Odell</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/My+Treasures+Workstation" rel="tag">My Treasures Workstation</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/National+Counted+Cross+Stitch+Show" rel="tag">National Counted Cross Stitch Show</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCCSS" rel="tag">NCCSS</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Betsy+Evans" rel="tag">Betsy Evans</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Eileen+Bennett" rel="tag">Eileen Bennett</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/unfair+judging" rel="tag">unfair judging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Independent+Needlework+News" rel="tag">Independent Needlework News</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-6984157736991555092007-08-07T05:19:00.000-05:002007-08-07T05:23:49.284-05:00What a Strange Search StringWhat else can you do but laugh when you see <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ysgr7n">this</a> in your site stats?<br /><br />Is there actually a cross stitch sampler intended to be stitched for an OB/GYN? I'm not sure I want to know ...~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-43736063898348460292007-08-05T22:03:00.000-05:002007-08-25T08:20:02.234-05:00Official Announcement<a href="http://independentneedleworknews.com/">INDEPENDENT NEEDLEWORK NEWS</a> is now up and running.<br /><br />For me, that counts as a happy dance!<br /><br />Thanks in advance for all publicity or word of mouth!<br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Independent+Needlework+News" rel="tag">Independent Needlework News</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-41655684608607491452007-07-27T23:20:00.001-05:002007-08-25T12:15:49.394-05:00A Quick Update for All the Visitors<div style="text-align: justify;">Wow! I never get this much traffic here ... Hi!<br /><br />I am working diligently on getting my new business home ready and hope to be able to announce it's location within just a few days. I'll be continuing on with the type of thing I had started doing at CraftGossip, especially after getting emails from so many of you who've told me just how much you appreciated what I was doing.<br /><br />Thank you for those, too -- it's always nice to hear that you've accomplished what you set out to do, and it turned out I was actually doing that myself ... But I didn't actually hear those words until you were worried I might disappear. (Don't worry -- *I* always knew there was never a chance of that happening because I had fallen in love with what I was doing and know it has a value to the stitching community.)<br /><br />Also thank you so much to everyone for your emails and even phone calls of support. They've been fantastic as well, and I really want to contact each of you for permission to publish the things you have all written about copyright because each of you did such a wonderful and eloquent job talking about what copyright means to your life.<br /><br />I also would be remiss if I did not publicly say that <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >CraftGossip paid me promptly and in full -- as far as I know, anyway (a grand total of $50.74 for about six months of work) -- and I have no hesitation in saying that while they were extremely confused about copyright law, they showed themselves to be generally honest and decent people by meeting their financial contractual obligations to me in a very timely and professional manner.</span><br /><br />Last, I want you all to know that I am doing okay. I am very, very tired. But I am really quite excited about this and not unhappy at all about how things have worked out. It's quite nice for a change, too! :)<br /><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CraftGossip" rel="tag">CraftGossip</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-45823841846080582452007-07-25T07:43:00.001-05:002007-10-03T15:17:23.104-05:00Needlework vs. Tampons<div style="text-align: justify;">CraftGossip doesn't understand needlework, and wanted <a href="http://craftgossip.com/blog/tampon-craft-projects/2007/06/30/">"craft news."</a><br /><br />My writing is of a higher class.<br /><br />Best of luck to anyone who might want the job, but be forewarned Shellie didn't consider ANY of my posts craft-related. It's true; none were about tampons. Of course, as the co-founder of <a href="http://craftbits.com/">CraftBits</a>, which has no needlework projects at all, Shellie has no idea what a needlework project IS or why stitchers don't care to discuss tampons.<br /><br />(Perhaps I was wrong to think it was all just string.)<br /><br />I am venturing out on my own. Please stay tuned to <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/">The Needle's Bewitching Eye</a> or <a href="mailto:stitchwitched@gmail.com">email me</a> for updates.<br /></div><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CraftGossip" rel="tag">CraftGossip</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CraftBits" rel="tag">CraftBits</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-70443379147880915832007-07-23T20:36:00.000-05:002007-10-03T11:41:57.828-05:00A Great ReminderI can't listen to books on tape ... my mind wanders too easily.<br /><br />But I still love <a href="http://cameoroze.blogspot.com/2007/05/wisdom-of-harry-potter.html">this old post from Cameo</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">It is our choices, Harry, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;" witdth="300">that show what we truly are</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">far</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;"> more than our abilities. ~ </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Albus</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dumbledore</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></blockquote></blockquote><br /><br />The thing is, in reality, the majority of people object to those who make the kind of choices of which Albus Dumbledore approved.<br /><br />Of course, if things were any other way, the choices wouldn't be so important.<br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CameoRoze" rel="tag">CameoRoze</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Harry+Potter" rel="tag">Harry Potter</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Albus+Dumbledore" rel="tag">Albus Dumbledore</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/choice" rel="tag">choice</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-74656638353860622862007-07-19T10:21:00.000-05:002007-10-14T08:05:34.976-05:00And Around We Go (originally posted on CraftGossip 7/19/07)<div style="text-align: justify;">My job as the Needlework Editor at CraftGossip.com is one job (my bosses are in Australia).<br /><br />My job as Show Director for the National Counted Cross Stitch Show (NCCSS) was a second, entirely separate job (my boss was located at Rockome Gardens in Arcola, IL, USA).<br /><br />There was absolutely NO connection between the two other than that I utilized my CraftGossip blog to advertise the NCCSS -- at no cost to Rockome Gardens, by the way -- because it fit in exactly with the job description for my CraftGossip blog. Without me and my CraftGossip blog, the 2007 NCCSS would have completely failed because there was NO OTHER ADVERTISING FOR THE SHOW WORTH MENTIONING (although I did get us a spot in The Gift of Stitching online magazine ... which Butch Phillips apparently thought so unimportant, even though it would have hit our TARGET AUDIENCE of stitchers, that he couldn't be bothered to pay the $40 fee for the one month spot available).<br /><br /><a href="mailto:bphillips@rockome.com">Butch Phillips</a>, the self-titled Mayor of Rockome Gardens, according to his TV commercials which must have cost thousands of dollars to make and air, clearly does not understand anything about paid blogging or Internet marketing. He has several times made the erroneous statement mentioning CraftGossip as a "pay for hit site," and made it sound like I receive $1.00 for every hit or something equally ridiculous! I don't even receive $.01 per hit, and that is because CraftGossip is NOT a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_per_click">pay per click</a> program. Pay per click advertising is a type of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_marketing">Search Engine Marketing</a> ... and CraftGossip is NOT -- you guessed it! -- a search engine. Rather, to the best of my understanding, it is an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiliate_marketing">affiliate</a> (have you checked out <a href="http://craftbits.com/">CraftBits</a> yet?), and specifically, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_sharing">revenue sharing</a> program which uses <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contextual_advertising">contextual advertising</a>.<br /><br />A lot of people seem to think I made a great big bunch of money from CraftGossip because of NCCSS-related posts, and that:<br /><br /><blockquote>1. It was a conflict of interest.<br /><br />2. I should be paying Butch because it brought so much traffic to my site.<br /><br />3. I really shouldn't complain about not getting paid by the NCCSS or Rockome Gardens because I made enough already through CraftGossip thanks to Butch.</blockquote><br /><br />The truth is CraftGossip is a fledgling craft-related blog site, and I was lucky to get in on the ground floor as one of their first editors. I signed up on one of the last days of January 2007. I have not yet received a payment from CraftGossip, and that is because less than $50 is due me at the moment. As soon as my earnings total $50, I'll receive payment.<br /><br />If people really think I don't deserve to be paid for my work AFTER THEY HAVE READ ALL THE FACTS, I'll determine how much of my current earnings balance was earned through NCCSS-related posts, and then send Butch a check for 90% of whatever that amount turns out to be. I'm willing to do this not because I'm already rich off of CraftGossip, but because 90% of very little is still hardly anything.<br /><br />So my answers to the above three points are:<br /><br /><blockquote>1. None of my bosses at the time minded, so it was not a conflict of interest.<br /><br />2. Butch hired me knowing ALL ABOUT CraftGossip, and with the full intention of using it as a resource to advertise the NCCSS. I was more than happy to do that, as my CraftGossip blog wouldn't begin to earn money without Internet traffic, and a link from Rockome Gardens' website to me here on CraftGossip would have been very beneficial. Butch was to link to my CraftGossip blog immediately after he hired me; that was part of my CONTRACT with him. He failed to meet his contractual obligations and didn't link to me until approximately seven weeks afterward. This lengthy delay caused me to lose out on a significant opportunity to develop an audience for my CraftGossip blog -- some portion of which would still be regular readers today, which is called a "loss of future income" in legal terms. Butch is lucky I'm not <em>presently</em> planning to sue him for that loss of future income, but then, I'm still attempting to collect what I was owed to begin with from him.<br /><br />3. Many needlework designers work two jobs -- their designing job, and their "paying job." I was working two jobs also -- my CraftGossip job, and what was supposed to be MY paying job until I do actually bring in enough to comfortably rely on just my CraftGossip earnings. Butch stiffed me. It's similar to working one job during the week and a second one on weekends. I expected to get paid for both, and I trust I will eventually get paid by CraftGossip -- but Butch stole from me. I was NOT a willing, informed, or consenting VOLUNTEER for either CraftGossip or Rockome Gardens' NCCSS. CraftGossip knows this and is honest. Butch took advantage of me and is dishonest.</blockquote><br /><br />If you still don't believe me, consider this: Would I post this here on CraftGossip where my bosses will see it if it weren't true? It IS true. I already asked for and received permission to post this from <a href="http://craftgossip.com/meet-your-editors#craftgossip">Shellie</a>, and of course I'll be hanging onto her email.<br /><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Butch+Phillips" rel="tag">Butch Phillips</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pay+per+click" rel="tag">pay per click</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Search+Engine+Marketing" rel="tag">Search Engine Marketing</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CraftGossip" rel="tag">CraftGossip</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rockome+Gardens" rel="tag">Rockome Gardens</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/National+Counted+Cross+Stitch+Show" rel="tag">National Counted Cross Stitch Show</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCCSS" rel="tag">NCCSS</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/paid+blogging" rel="tag">paid blogging</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Internet+marketing" rel="tag">Internet marketing</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/pay+for+hit+site" rel="tag">pay for hit site</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/affiliate" rel="tag">affiliate</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/revenue+sharing" rel="tag">revenue sharing</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/contextual+advertising" rel="tag">contextual advertising</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-83212875193807424822007-07-18T10:30:00.000-05:002007-10-03T15:16:12.474-05:00On Rounds (originally posted on CraftGossip on July 18, 2007)<div style="text-align: justify;">To the untrustworthy bobbleheads who destroyed the opportunity I had to work with <a href="http://www.caeclectic.com/">CA Wells</a> with the tactless taps of your keystrokes, the game's over.<br /><br />Regardless of your intentions toward me, it was foolish and cruel for you to steal away from stitchers in the Midwest an opportunity to take classes with CA.<br /><br />You realize I shared my excitement with you about working with CA only in the STRICTEST CONFIDENCE. Of course you do; that's what made your violation of that confidence so exceedingly delicious!<br /><br />Somehow you took my two sentences totaling seventeen words, and by the power of blue whale testicles, decided to out-scoop ME. I would OBVIOUSLY have made the announcement at the appropriate time on MY CraftGossip blog. This blistering betrayal was another perfectly planned and perfectly executed element in the perfect crime.<br /><br />You are a moronic loon to have contacted CA Wells for more details -- except you were intentionally destroying this opportunity in order to hurt me. The surest way to accomplish this was to bother the incredibly popular, extremely busy, absolutely #1 in demand needlework teacher/designer with direct emails. Ticking off CA was easily achieved by involving all your hollaback girlfriends in the project. Extra credit was awarded for the request that CA teach a Betsy Morgan piece.<br /><br />After the more than thirteen hours mostly wasted in two different ERs Tuesday, I don't have time or spirit left for you -- or much of anything else, for that matter.<br /><br />Now, please give the link to this post (that link is <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-rounds-originally-posted-on.html">http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-rounds-originally-posted-on.html</a> ) wherever you've already spread the first bits of your now false advertising -- and please at least have the decency to quote me accurately this time.<br /></div><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CA+Wells" rel="tag">CA Wells</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Betsy+Morgan" rel="tag">Betsy Morgan</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-241798286782546392007-07-13T07:04:00.000-05:002007-08-25T12:22:58.314-05:00Friday the 13th = Feminist Field DayWhen confronted with <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070707/481/xbej80407071109">this picture</a>,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFVDP-KqGa-CzZR8KbpWmEoZpBKILi6mDl2b-o_fpAWAQkEo3YNG98ARMSVS7K9jPVUCTWQYz5w7lQL-qkJ2lWttG_8RilPUvVq4_GnqbRSe0jVckOhcRQiOfmLDMwrR8v4nqZQ/s1600-h/capt.xbej80407071109.china_largest_bathroom_xbej804.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFVDP-KqGa-CzZR8KbpWmEoZpBKILi6mDl2b-o_fpAWAQkEo3YNG98ARMSVS7K9jPVUCTWQYz5w7lQL-qkJ2lWttG_8RilPUvVq4_GnqbRSe0jVckOhcRQiOfmLDMwrR8v4nqZQ/s400/capt.xbej80407071109.china_largest_bathroom_xbej804.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5086652662826248770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />the best text <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070707/481/xbej80407071109">news.yahoo.com</a> could come up with was this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote>Chinese visit a four-story, free-of-charge public restroom in Chongqing, China Saturday July 7, 2007. They're flushing with pride in a southwestern Chinese city where a recently opened porcelain palace features an Egyptian facade, soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets spread out over 3,000 square meters (32,290 square feet). Officials in Chongqing are preparing to submit an application to Guinness World Records to have the public restroom listed as the world's largest, state-run China Central Television reported Friday.(AP Photo)</blockquote></div><br /><br />and they ran it under the title:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">China debuts opulent public restroom </span><br /></div><br />Say what?<br /><br />(It was the #1 picture on Yahoo on Friday, July 13th, which is how I came up with the title of this post.)<br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/feminism" rel="tag">feminism</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/feminist" rel="tag">feminist</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/China" rel="tag">China</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/public+restroom" rel="tag">public restroom</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-6724482980435750262007-07-04T08:37:00.000-05:002007-08-25T12:28:36.424-05:00What She Said<p><a href="http://susiebright.blogs.com/susie_brights_journal_/2007/07/in-just-a-coupl.html"></a></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://susiebright.blogs.com/susie_brights_journal_/2007/07/in-just-a-coupl.html">This article</a> really puts into perspective exactly how I ended up feeling about my job as an investigator with <a href="http://lucent.com/">Lucent Technologies</a> Corporate Computer and Network Security by the time I finally got myself out of there in April of 2001.<br /><br />Although it was one of the most interesting jobs I've ever done, I initially got into that line of work because I wanted to help people. Among other things, I wanted to protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace and help them feel and actually be safer at work.<br /><br />However, by the time I left the job, not only had I realized I wasn't even helping the company, but I had also become a victim of gender harassment myself many times over. I worked in one of the two organizations which was supposed to SET THE EXAMPLE for the rest of the company (the other being the Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action, or EEO/AA group); I had a B.A. and an M.S. in criminal justice; and I dealt with severe violations all day, every day; but I couldn't even manage to protect myself from victimization because I worked in a dramatically male-dominated field.<br /><br />In fact, I had reported my own situation to the EEO/AA group no less than five times -- and WON the investigation every time. The problem, though, remained because, as the only female employee in my group, I was the only one complaining about gender harassment, and so it was rather a simple solution to just ignore me. I actually was told often, "Nobody else has a problem," and after I heard it enough times, it did start to sound an awful lot like, "You are crazy." Even the EEO/AA investigator (who was a male, by the way, and a very decent one, too) couldn't help much with that, since he couldn't be in my shoes all the time. I had to deal with reality, and I had to deal with it alone. It was as natural to my male bosses and coworkers to treat me as a second class citizen as it was for them to urinate while standing. It would never have occurred to them to analyze their own actions, and even when someone pointed out to them exactly how they were treating me differently from everyone else, they still had difficulty seeing it for themselves. More importantly, they refused to change their behavior. Or maybe more accurately, they didn't think they SHOULD change their behavior because I was ONLY a woman and therefore not worth showing that much respect.<br /><br />Earlier on the day I decided to resign, it had become clear to me that I needed to go back to the EEO/AA group again because the harassment was still continuing. But something inside me broke that day. I just couldn't do it anymore. It didn't matter. Or maybe <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I</span> didn't matter. It was a losing battle I had been trying to fight, and the only person I was capable of saving was <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">MYSELF</span>.<br /><br />There were always going to be more people looking at pornographic websites on company time using company resources because they were ADDICTED (we should have been referring them to therapists and doctors, rather than terminating their employment); job security wasn't a problem. But if eliminating pornography from the workplace was our measure of how we were making sure to treat women better and to provide a safe workplace for them, then the fact that we did NOT have to worry about job security meant we were clearly failing. And I knew from my own experience as a victim that using pornography or the lack thereof as a measure of my safety as a woman in that workplace was grossly in error. I also knew that working within the system to try to change it and make it better had been unsuccessful. I finally gave myself the freedom to move on, or maybe I just gave up. Either way, I ended up here -- somewhere else, somewhere a little bit less painful to my psyche most days.<br /><br />So that's the experience I bring with me to this conversation, and I think <a href="http://susiebright.blogs.com/susie_brights_journal_/2007/07/in-just-a-coupl.html">Susie Bright</a> has a terrific idea -- one that certainly has yet to be tried:<br /><br /><blockquote>Here's a tip: Wanna stop the cycle of "safety panics" at your workplace? Give each person who works some privacy and dignity.<br /><br />Then look at the pay scales of everyone in the company, and give all the secretaries, assistants, and janitorial staff a gigantic raise. Watch how suddenly, all the "unsafe" feelings disappear as if by magic!</blockquote><br /><br />I'd like to find out what would happen if her idea were put into practice, but I doubt it will ever happen. Sadly, I think the biggest reason it won't ever happen is because a woman suggested it.<br /><br />But in case some male corporate type is reading this, I <span style="font-weight: bold;">DARE YOU</span> to give her idea a try. And don't you forget to give her the credit for it, either.<br /></div><blockquote></blockquote><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Lucent+Technologies+Corporate+Computer+and+Network+Security" rel="tag">Lucent Technologies Corporate Computer and Network Security</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/harassment" rel="tag">harassment</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/porn" rel="tag">porn</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/work" rel="tag">work</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/addict" rel="tag">addict</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/addiction" rel="tag">addiction</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Susie+Bright" rel="tag">Susie Bright</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-63219960576179685812007-07-01T00:06:00.001-05:002007-08-25T12:40:15.536-05:00Still A Shyster<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="mailto:bphillips@rockome.com">Butch</a> thinks I should be satisfied with the $625 he has paid me so far, which he says is for five weeks of work. The following is my response, and it is also posted in several places on CraftGossip.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"></span>I have NOT received my full pay. NOT EVEN CLOSE.<br /><br />(1) I worked for 7.5 FULL WEEKS. I started on 4/7/07, the same day on which I interviewed with you, Butch. It was not even until 5/23/07 -- ALREADY 6.5 WEEKS into the job -- that I made my numerous unsuccessful attempts to get a paycheck from you known to anyone else. At that point, instead of paying me which would have resolved the problem quickly and amicably, you refused to contact me privately either by phone or email and resorted to criticizing me for making things "public" -- when what I did was let the designers involved with the NCCSS as vendors and instructors know about the situation through PRIVATE, BY INVITATION ONLY, YahooGroups I'd previously set up to organize the show. Despite my better judgment, I then continued to work another full week, for a total of 7.5 FULL WEEKS, while still unsuccessfully trying to get my paycheck. LOOK AT A CALENDAR, <a href="mailto:cassville_okie@mchsi.com">BUTCH</a>, AND PAY ME WHAT YOU OWE ME, THIEF. WITH 30% INTEREST!!!<br /><br />(2) You agreed to pay me $10 an hour for ALL hours onsite. I was onsite for a 2+ hour meeting with you and Angie on 4/10/07. Standard operating procedures dictated by both the state of Illinois and the federal government state you must also pay me for the 2.25 hour round-trip commute to that meeting and its mileage, since I was a contract employee and my normal work location was out of my home. Total hours onsite are thus estimated to be 4.5 at $10 an hour. For the mileage, you can put my address and Rockome's address into <a href="http://mapsonus.com/">Maps On Us</a> and double that for round-trip mileage of 113 miles.<br /><br />(3) You also owe me reimbursement for mailing expenses for items I mailed to you for NCCSS business (not my personal NCCSS issues as a show participant or to take classes) during the 7.5 weeks I worked for you. I estimate a total of $8.<br /><br />(4) You also owe me reimbursement for business use of my cable Internet and phone for two months, which cost me $109 per month, so you owe me $109.<br /><br />(5) Because you knew the value of the job I was doing, and because doing this form of payment was something you could write off as a business expense (and was also something which you did not have to pay me all at once, which was beneficial for you), you had also agreed IN WRITING to pay ALL my expenses to attend <a href="http://celebrationofnw.com/">Celebration of Needlework</a>. The hotel costs alone are over $1000. You were also to pay travel costs, food costs while there, and class attendance and registration fees. Class registration fees were to be paid on 5/18/07. I estimate you owe me a bare minimum of $2500 for this part of your legal contract with me.<br /><br />(6) I worked 16 hour days straight for 7.5 weeks (and I wasn't spending the majority of my time reading a library book like Tonya did for $10 an hour just because she was onsite during the show -- <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153); font-weight: bold;">hi, Tonya!</span>). Because the initial $500 per month we agreed to comes nowhere near close to minimum wage for the hours I needed to work in order to get the job you assigned to me done and also, obviously, did not include overtime, I was forced to file two complaints with the <a href="http://www.state.il.us/agency/idol">Illinois Department of Labor</a>, and they have accepted both as justified. The first is for <a href="http://www.state.il.us/agency/idol/laws/Law115.htm">non-payment of wages</a>. The second is for <a href="http://www.state.il.us/agency/idol/laws/Law105.htm">minimum wage and overtime violations</a>; this complaint totaled closer to $10,000 due me (which certainly justifies my demand for the Celebration of Needlework compensation you promised me).<br /><br />These are the numbers the Illinois Department of Labor has, so you might as well get your math straight now. It will look much better for you and the owners of Rockome Gardens if you are at least properly trying to take care of this matter in an amicable fashion when they come to investigate. The Illinois Department of Labor can and very well may fine you extensively in addition to requiring you to pay me what I am owed and/or put you entirely out of business. I think that would be a shame and tried everything I could to avoid this route, but you refused to even pick up the phone and call me -- and I'm the easy one to reach.<br /><br /><br /></blockquote></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Butch+Phillips" rel="tag">Butch Phillips</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Illinois+Department+of+Labor" rel="tag">Illinois Department of Labor</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/minimum+wage+violations" rel="tag">minimum wage violations</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/overtime+violations" rel="tag">overtime violations</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/non-payment+of+wages" rel="tag">non-payment of wages</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/breach+of+contract" rel="tag">breach of contract</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCCSS" rel="tag">NCCSS</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/National+Counted+Cross+Stitch+Show" rel="tag">National Counted Cross Stitch Show</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rockome+Gardens" rel="tag">Rockome Gardens</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-34573292024260166942007-06-29T03:31:00.000-05:002007-11-26T04:47:12.295-06:00Impeach Him!<div style="text-align: justify;">Can you believe <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rockome_NCCSS/message/230">this post</a> from the Mayor of Rockome Gardens, <a href="mailto:bphillips@rockome.com">Butch Phillips</a>? (I'm leaving his grammatical and other writing errors intact, by the way, even though it pains me to do so on my own blog, LOL. For clarity's sake, his comments are in putrid lime green.)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">Setting here logging on to my email and finding 43 emails in the NCCSS folder, I thought to myself what now. This time I am excited about seeing all the posts, The show has gone extremely well, I would like to thank TONYA and ANGIE who without them this show would not have happened. I would even like to thank Stacy for the start of the process. Yes it was a struggle and yes I stepped on a few toes, but I think it is safe to say that with the excitement for next year I am here to make this statement very plain.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is SOLELY due to the ethics of Angie Miller (whose family were the PREVIOUS owners of Rockome Gardens), that I received a check signed by Larry Daily (one of the new owners of Rockome Gardens) for less than half the amount owed to me by Rockome Gardens for the work I performed on behalf of the NCCSS.<br /><br />But Butch is such a sleaze he can't even be bothered to give me any credit when he THANKS people.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Without me, this show would have been dead in the water. The pages and pages of information I put up on the web about it at CraftGossip are the ONLY way stitchers could find detailed information about the show, and everyone -- from Butch, to Angie, to Tonya (<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">hi, Tonya!</span>), to Larry and the other new owners of Rockome Gardens, to the designers who were vending and/or teaching at the show, to all the stitchers who attended -- KNOWS it.<br /><br />I could have taken all that information off CraftGossip when I didn't get my first paycheck from Rockome Gardens. But I didn't because doing so would have hurt the show's outcome. While I wouldn't have minded hurting Rockome Gardens' income after they couldn't be bothered to pay me, I did NOT want to hurt the designers' businesses any further than they'd already been harmed by Butch's refusal to properly advertise the show in the first place. (Here is where the importance of the fact that I'm a stitcher -- or at least, I was ... my heart is too broken for me to feel much like picking up a needle right now -- cannot be denied. First and foremost, I wanted this show to succeed BECAUSE I AM -- or was -- A STITCHER. That was the main reason I wanted and took the job as Show Director just two months before the show was to start, KNOWING everything was in a huge state of upheaval and I had a huge mountain to climb -- and convince a whole bunch of other people to climb, too.) So instead, I put up a truthful disclaimer about my own experience with Rockome Gardens and the reservations that caused me to have about the show, withdrew my personal endorsement of the show, and kept stitchers as well informed as I could of the goings-on at Rockome Gardens once I was no longer in the loop myself.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The show would have done better if Butch had done HIS JOB and kept his LEGAL CONTRACT with me to advertise my CraftGossip blog so people would have known when they came to Rockome's website where to go for information, but the show did amazingly well this year -- IN SPITE OF BUTCH'S NEGLECT, and BECAUSE OF MY DEDICATION. In fact, Donna Heidler of <a href="http://simplyoldfashioned.com/">Simply Old-Fashioned</a> told me it was her best show ANYWHERE, EVER. There were 229 entries entered into the competition, which was about half the number entered in the last show held (the twentieth anniversary show in 2004) -- not bad at all considering the two year hiatus or the fact that I only had two months to get the word out about the show and had my BOSS, of all people, working against me!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"> The 2008 National Counted Cross Stitch Show will even be better, YES </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">IT WILL RETURN. I plan on recruiting Angie and Tonya and Connie to be </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">a part of the team.</span></span><br /></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is hysterical, especially considering the email I received from someone who stated that everyone knows I'm Coni (who was brave enough to write a comment on <a href="http://theneedlesbewitchingeye.blogspot.com/2007/06/caveat-emptor-re-nccss-originally.html">this post, which was originally posted on CraftGossip,</a> expressing her displeasure with the NCCSS this year). If Butch actually is planning to hire me under a different name because he doesn't know it's me ... Shoot, it would almost be worth not getting paid a SECOND time just to pull that one over on everyone! Pull my finger!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"> We will have the dates posted in the very near future, This group will remain active and I invite those positive and the negative to share constructive improvements so we can work even harder to make it better together. I would hope that the posts would be on our group here or sent to me or Angie and not posted on pay for hit sites. I do not have any association with any pay for hit site nor do I support these sites.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, Butch is certainly correct that he did absolutely NOTHING to support me, not even to honor his LEGAL AGREEMENT with me. However, he did have a BINDING oral and WRITTEN (by email, yes, but still written) CONTRACT with me to honor, and that contract included linking to CraftGossip ASAP after I was hired on April 7th. Butch failed to complete ANY of the things he agreed to do as payment for the work I contracted to do. I completed all the work I agreed to -- and more. No amount of Butch's revisionist history -- or perhaps he's more comfortable calling it a historical re-enactment, which they do so much of at Rockome Gardens now -- will change the fact that he DID HAVE a LEGAL OBLIGATION which required of him not only an an association with but support of my blog on CraftGossip. He can criticize my blog all he wants, but at least I'm trying to make an honest living (I would have succeeded at that if Butch had actually paid me in full for the work I had done), rather than stealing from other people by breach of contract or making promises I don't keep, like Butch.<br /><br />And here for the edification of all is Maggie Pringlemeir's response to Butch Phillips, which he would not allow through to the Rockome list. (I'll keep Butch's comments in the putrid lime green, and Maggie's will be in royal purple for clarity.)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 153);"><blockquote>Note to the list ..<br /><br />I sent a message on June 15, wishing all of you much success for this show .. but my message was deleted and was never posted. This may well be an exercise in futility, but I'm going to step up and respond to Butch's comments, particularly since he SAID he WANTS the negative ones to be posted here.<br /><br />Butch ..<br /><br />I'll never say anything behind your back that I will not say directly to your face .. so .. since you said that you want truth and open honesty .. here it is.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"I would like to thank TONYA and ANGIE who without them this show would not have happened. I would even like to thank Stacy for the start of the process."</span></span><br /><br />What about HEATHER? The woman you contracted with BECAUSE she had a highly visable public website to help promote your show? You may remember her .. she worked a couple of months for you putting in 18 to 20 hour days. Stacy, for her own reasons, had to back away. Heather worked her own health into a frazzle. Can't you find the courtesy in your heart to thank her publicly?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"This group will remain active and I invite those positive and the negative to share </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">constructive improvements so we can work even harder to make it better together. I would hope that the posts would be on our group here or sent to me or Angie and not posted on pay for hit sites. I do not have any association with any pay for hit site nor do I support these sites."</span></span><br /><br />Truly amazing .. since the reason you "hired" Heather was for the exposure of that website. Today I spoke directly with her and asked her point blank .. somewhere, somehow, down the line, you should be generating "some" income from the number of hits your website receives, right? THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. YES, at some point in the future .. that theoretically should happen. It is PAID FOR by the ADVERTISING on the website. It does NOT come out of the person who visit's checkbooks or their pockets in any way. ALL companies advertise .. even Rockome spent HOW MANY thousands of $ on a non-descriptive advert on national programming. Apparently, Butch, you see the value of name recognition and were willing to dip into your pocket and pay for it as a business expense. That is PRECISELY what advertisers do. But they do NOT charge those who SEE the advertising for the privilege. For you to infer otherwise is misleading and an insult to the intelligence of every stitcher involved, period. For someone NOT affiliated .. you certainly wanted Heather to spend hours getting the show information, class descriptions, and other important data up and out there. THAT, she did. She honored the terms of her agreement with you. Step on toes? There are words for what you did .. but I won't use them on this list.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"I plan on recruiting Angie and Tonya and Connie to be a part of the team."</span></span><br /><br />Like many others .. I'm curious WHO Connie is. Yes, it's apparent that I have intense loyalties to my friend Heather. She has NEVER lied to me, never cheated me, never told me anything that turned out to be a half-truth. In the years I've known her, when she says she'll do something .. I could ALWAYS count on her to follow through. I still can. ANY employer with a lick of sense in his head would recognize those qualities and work hard to coax her to come back and be involved with this show, rather than use this forum to take not-so-subtle snipes at her. Even with the harsh feelings and how badly she was treated, Heather still cared enough about this show to come, to speak with Angie several times and to make many suggestions about how to make the next show a better one. She genuinely CARES about not only the BUSINESS of the show, Butch, she cares about the PEOPLE of the show. She cares about the integrity of the judging process and the standards.<br /><br />Which brings me to one other comment. I've seen the original post from Coni and recognize the name from other lists I'm on and involved with. Some of you seem to think that those coments were written by Heather with a fake name to hide behind. Let me assure you that the woman exists and that SHE wrote the note herself. Many ofher comments were totally valid. The promotion of this show SHOULD have begun as soon as Butch took over .. not 8 weeks beforehand. Heather was set an impossible task working with people that she knew actively disliked her and tried to block her every positive or constructive move .. and yet .. she came in and did an amazing task. When she pulled back and away .. didn't any of you realize that she had TRIED to go through the appropriate private channels, and was ignored, the same as I was? Shame on all of you who said mean things about her. Just remember .. what goes around, comes around and karma can be severe. Heather deserves an apology from many of the people on this list. I hope she receives them. And knowing her, if she does, she'll post a thank you for that.<br /><br />Truly, I'm GLAD the show went as well as it did. I know that Angie worked her tail off, too. Start making plans and doing the scutwork NOW for the next show. As Coni said .. get the information about the local Guilds and contact them to get the word out. That cannot be done in a whirlwind of a few weeks, it requires time to do that groundwork.<br /><br />You have a unique opportunity right now. It's very rare for a show that has died to be resurrected. You have a good chance of doing that. If you can, it will not only be good for Rockome, it will be good for the stitchers and the industry. I wish all of you well with your efforts.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"> Maggie Pringlemeir, D Div, PhD<br /> DrMaggie @ aol.com</div></blockquote></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd post Butch's response back to Maggie, but as that was in private email to her, instead I'll just post MY response to him here:<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">As I said above, I could have removed everything from CraftGossip when I didn't get my first paycheck from Rockome Gardens. I didn't do that because I did NOT want to hurt the designers' businesses any further than YOU, Butch, had already harmed them by your neglect and refusal to properly advertise the show in the first place. Instead, I put up a truthful disclaimer about my own experience, withdrew my personal endorsement of the show, and kept stitchers as well informed as I could of the goings-on at Rockome Gardens once I was no longer in the loop myself. That's a long way from trying to give the show a black eye or derail it. If the controversy this created helped give me any income at all (as if that were any of YOUR business, Butch), I damned well deserved it, you lying thief -- and it brought more income to you, too, because it brought the curious stitchers who wouldn't have come at all this year to Rockome Gardens just to check out the show for a day. So thank the controversy YOU created; I think that was your intention all along. All I did was SPEAK OUT and make it public -- and in doing so, I at least doubled the income the NCCSS brought to you and to each vendor. Now I expect my cut, and I still expect the rest of what you owed me to begin with IN FULL!<br /></blockquote><br /></div><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Butch+Phillips" rel="tag">Butch Phillips</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Larry+Daily" rel="tag">Larry Daily</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCCSS" rel="tag">NCCSS</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rockome+Gardens" rel="tag">Rockome Gardens</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/National+Counted+Cross+Stitch+Show" rel="tag">National Counted Cross Stitch Show</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/breach+of+contract" rel="tag">breach of contract</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/CraftGossip" rel="tag">CraftGossip</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Maggie+Pringlemeir" rel="tag">Maggie Pringlemeir</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32104165.post-20429001625620981432007-06-29T02:00:00.000-05:002007-08-25T12:49:01.912-05:00Listen to the JerkToo bad he wouldn't help me advertise the National Counted Cross Stitch Show <a href="http://www.greatnewsradio.com/archives/jun_07/06_28_2007.mp3">this well</a>.<br /><br /><div class="tag_list">Tags: <span class="tags"><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Butch+Phillips" rel="tag">Butch Phillips</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/NCCSS" rel="tag">NCCSS</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/Rockome+Gardens" rel="tag">Rockome Gardens</a>, <a href="http://technorati.com/tag/National+Counted+Cross+Stitch+Show" rel="tag">National Counted Cross Stitch Show</a></span></div>~ stitchwitched ~http://www.blogger.com/profile/17463099771799260543noreply@blogger.com0